Environmental activists and office-bearers of political parties and Tamil outfits objected to drilling of 22 oil exploratory wells in the district by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), alleging that the project would destroy the livelihood of the people.
They raised objection at the public hearing convened by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the district administration at the Collectorate here on Thursday at the behest of the ONGC, which has initiated the process of obtaining environmental clearance for drilling the wells.
In the absence of panchayat presidents and local people from the identified villages, the activists dominated the proceedings and demanded that the district administration cancel the public hearing and announce a fresh date after properly informing the heads of all the 22 villages.
However, Collector K. Nanthakumar, after verifying the records in the evening, held that the TNPCB had informed the panchayat presidents in advance about the public hearing and erected flex boards in the villages about the project.
However, only three panchayat presidents attended the meeting, he said, and declared that there was no procedural lapse in conducting it. The video recording and minutes of the meeting would be sent to the concerned authority, he said.
Alleging that the project would destroy the livelihood of fishermen and farmers, the activists and office-bearers of the MDMK, Naam Tamizhar Katchi, Puthiya Tamizhagam, Marathamizhar Senai and Tamizhar Desiya Munnani urged the district administration to stall the “anti-people” project.
As the ONGC would acquire about five acres of land for drilling each well, the project would displace fishermen and farmers. They dismissed as false the ONGC’s claim that the project would bring employment to the local people . S. Velu, General Manager, ONGC, Chennai, said wells would be drilled only after the project was cleared by the Wildlife Warden and the Coastal Regulation Zone.
